This invention relates to operation environment-dependent storage relocation realizing technologies.
A storage system is generally arranged to have at least one storage apparatus, such as a disk array subsystem or like equipment. This storage apparatus includes physical devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and/or semiconductor memory drives or else, which are disposed in an array form for providing storage regions based on a redundant array of independent (inexpensive) disks-i.e., RAID. The storage system also includes a host computer (referred to as the “host” hereinafter), which gives access to the storage regions provided by the storage apparatus to thereby perform data read/write operations. The storage system further includes a storage management server, which has its built-in storage unit and control device for managing the storage apparatus and host and also connection therebetween.
In this type of storage system, a means is used for more readily relocating the data that is distributed among a plurality of storage regions of storage apparatus, thereby enabling efficient use of storage system resources. One approach to doing this is disclosed in JP-A-2006-099748.
In JP-A-2006-099748, a technique is proposed for achieving the efficient storage usage by paying attention to the life cycle of data being stored in storage region to thereby perform hierarchical management of storage regions based on attribute information belonging to the storage regions per se, such as storage region's RAID level, constituent physical device type(s), storage capacity, in-use condition, etc., and relocating data to a different hierarchical level or “layer” of storage region in accordance with the policy of a user who uses the data.